(AP)
Ohio State (2.5-1) and TCU (6-1) are ahead of Alabama, while Auburn is ahead of favorites Baylor (15-1) and Notre Dame (16-1).
Nick Saban and Alabama return with a stacked roster, but the Crimson Tide have yet to name a starting quarterback with its opening game against No. 20 Wisconsin five days away. Jake Coker is thought to be the favorite, but a clear answer may not come until later in the week.
Auburn fans are optimistic with the addition of ex-Florida head coach Will Muschamp as the new defensive coordinator. Gus Malzahn also has junior quarterback Jeremy Johnson, who has drawn countless comparisons to Cam Newton during the preseason while leading the offense.
A strong case can be made for both teams to make, and potentially win, the College Football Playoff. The worry for the SEC reclaiming the title is that the top teams will beat up on each other during the season resulting in only one team making it to the final four. With the level of talent in other conferences, that is a distinct possibility.
